Factors associated with grade 9 math success

Success in grade 9 math is an important milestone in students’ transition to high school and a key indicator of whether they are on track for graduation. In Denver Public Schools (DPS), district leaders are working to increase the number of students who make this transition successfully. To inform these efforts, this Regional Educational Laboratory Central study identified the student characteristics and experiences that were strongly associated with passing grade 9 math and whether those associations differed for student groups that might be at greater risk during the transition to high school. Key findings Higher likelihood of passing grade 9 math among DPS students who attended a high school with above-average Hispanic enrollment, had higher middle school attendance, and met proficiency benchmarks on middle school English language arts standardized exams. In most cases, these associations also held for student groups of interest. Lower likelihood of passing grade 9 math among DPS students who received any failing grade in a middle school math course, experienced any suspension in middle school, attended a high school with above-average enrollment of students eligible for the National School Lunch Program, and attended a high school that hosts a newcomer center. Experiencing a suspension in middle school had the strongest association with grade 9 math success. Read the full report: https://ies.ed.gov/use-work/resource-library/report/descriptive-study/factors-associated-grade-9-math-success-denver-public-schools